The ability to sell remains the most sought-after skill in the freight industry but more and more companies are looking for proof of this before they sign on the dotted line. According to Morne Steffens, Communicate Personnel’s general manager in Durban, proof of sales is increasingly being asked for before the decision is taken to bring someone on board. “Good sales people are very hard to come by,” he says. “The majority of freight forwarding companies are therefore always open to interviewing and even creating space for good sales executives, but more and more they want to see proof of sales before they commit to employing someone. When a good person is found companies tend to go out of their way to look after them well in an effort to retain the skill.” Steffens says there has been a fair amount of movement in the industry in the past couple of months, especially in light of some retrenchments at larger companies. “Especially at a middle management level this has had an impact,” he told FTW. “But in the wake of this, many people start leaving companies where retrenchments take place as they start to feel the environment is unstable.” Ultimately, it is all based on the economy and how it is doing. “With the rand not performing well, the impact is felt on movement and recruitment within the freight industry.” It is also being reflected in many companies not planning too far ahead in terms of recruitment. “Many organisations are also looking at staff reductions in the coming year, and are trying to absorb staff from within their business, which would hopefully assist with the skills gap,” says Steffens. He says addressing the skills gap remains high on the agenda, but the majority of companies prefer to employ candidates who can come in and hit the ground running, rather than having to train them up. INSERT & CAPTION Good sales people are very hard to come by. – Morne Steffens
